Posts by Gina Rullo

Does that quote seem familiar to you? It’s the widely recognized first line of the book, The School For Good And Evil. Soman Chainani is the author behind the book, which is available through First Book.

Soman: We didn’t have cable when I was young, so all we had was our rickety TV set and VHS tapes of every single Disney animated movie. Until age 8 or so, that was all I pretty much watched. Everything I learned about storytelling, I learned from Disney. (You can imagine what an irritating child I was.)

When I went to college, though, I read the original fairy tales and realized that my entire childhood was built on a lie! In the original stories, there’s so much more darkness and richness and real life. What I loved about them was how unsafe the characters were. You could very well end up with wedding bells and an Ever After – or you could lose your tongue or be baked into a pie. There was no ‘warmth’ built into the narrator, no expectations of a happy ending. The thrill came from vicariously trying to survive the gingerbread house, the hook-handed captain, or the apple-carrying crone at the door – and relief upon survival. Somewhere in that gap between the Disney stories and the real stories, THE SCHOOL FOR GOOD AND EVIL was born.

Q: What was your favorite fantasy book?

Soman: I love The Phantom Tollbooth, Alice in Wonderland, and Roald Dahl’s books the most — but my favorite fantasy book as a child was Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews. It’s just wildly inventive in every way.

Q: How do kids react when reading The School For Good and Evil?

Soman: The enthusiasm kids have had for the book continues to shock me every day. Kids have created all kinds of fanart, from posters, stickers, tattoos, cakes, fan fiction, fan poetry, Ever-inspired workout tapes, online Wikis to the book’s world, role playing games, Tumblr tributes, science fair projects, SGE-themed Warrior Cat games, Halloween costumes… Just typing that list made me realize how creative and amazing our growing community of Evers and Nevers has been.

Q: How can a GOOD teacher use your book to get students excited about reading?

Soman: Well a Good teacher would use the SCHOOL FOR GOOD & EVIL curriculum guide, designed by teachers for teachers, available on www.schoolforgoodandevil.com. It meets Common Core standards and gives teachers discussion questions, activity ideas, and tips on how to use the book in their classroom. A Good teacher would also tell the teachers to skip all the parts where the Evil kids, or Nevers, are plotting world domination in the most terrible ways.

Q: How can an EVIL teacher use your book to get students excited about reading?

Soman: An Evil teacher would tell students that the book has a recipe for “Children Noodle Soup,” a character that can turn anything she touches into chocolate (including people), and that in this story — unlike most other kids’ books — Evil has just as much a chance to win as Good.

Q: So… Would you consider yourself good? Or evil?

Soman: I was so compelled by this question of whether I was an Ever or a Never that I launched an interactive game on www.schoolforgoodandevil.com that helps each reader answer this question for themselves. You can log-on and take a 10-question Entrance Exam to The School for Good and Evil that sorts you into your school as an Ever or a Never. It also computes what percentage of your soul is Good and what percentage of your soul is Evil. The questions change every time (and I’ve written all of them!), so be prepared for a stern test. I, myself, have taken the quiz honestly a few times and consistently get 75% Evil, 25% Good. So it appears I’m a Never after all. Not surprising.

Bullying continues to be an ongoing issue among peers and students, especially at schools. October is National Bullying Prevention Month so we’ve put together a list of 10 anti-bullying books that can help raise awareness of this critical concern throughout classrooms.

Wonder – R. J. Palacio

In a world where bullying among young people is an epidemic, this is a refreshing new narrative full of heart and hope. R.J. Palacio has called her debut novel “a meditation on kindness” – indeed, every reader will come away with a greater appreciation for the simple courage of friendship. Auggie is a hero to root for, a diamond in the rough who proves that you can’t blend in when you were born to stand out.

Skin I’m In – Sharon G. Flake

Maleeka suffers every day from the taunts of the other kids in her class. If they’re not getting at her about her homemade clothes or her good grades, it’s about her dark, black skin. When a new teacher, whose face is blotched with a startling white patch, starts at their school, Maleeka can see there is bound to be trouble for her too. But the new teacher’s attitude surprises Maleeka. Miss Saunders loves the skin she’s in. Can Maleeka learn to do the same?

Because Of Mr. Terupt - Rob Buyea

It’s the start of fifth grade for seven kids at Snow Hill School. There’s…Jessica, the new girl, smart and perceptive, who’s having a hard time fitting in; Alexia, a bully, your friend one second, your enemy the next; Peter, class prankster and troublemaker; Luke, the brain; Danielle, who never stands up for herself; shy Anna, whose home situation makes her an outcast; and Jeffrey, who hates school.

Dear Bully: Seventy Authors Tell Their Stories - Megan Kelley Hall

Discover how Lauren Kate transformed the feeling of that one mean girl getting under her skin into her first novel, how Lauren Oliver learned to celebrate ambiguity in her classmates and in herself, and how R.L. Stine turned being the “funny guy” into the best defense against the bullies in his class.

It’s Okay To Be Different – Todd Parr

It’s Okay to Be Different cleverly delivers the important messages of acceptance, understanding, and confidence in an accessible, child-friendly format featuring Todd Parr’s trademark bold, bright colors and silly scenes. Targeted to young children first beginning to read, this book will inspire kids to celebrate their individuality through acceptance of others and self-confidence.

Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli

Stargirl. From the day she arrives at quiet Mica High in a burst of color and sound, the hallways hum with the murmur of “Stargirl, Stargirl.” She captures Leo Borlock’s heart with just one smile. She sparks a school-spirit revolution with just one cheer. The students of Mica High are enchanted. At first. Then they turn on her.

Absolute Brightness - James Lecesne

Darkness: Where light is not. Light: Brightness or illumination from a particular source. Absolute brightness: The mystery of Leonard Pelkey. This is the story of a luminous force of nature: a boy who encounters evil and whose magic isn’t truly felt until he disappears.

Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker–his classmate and crush–who committed suicide two weeks earlier. On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he’ll find out how he made the list.

The Bully – Paul Langan

A new life. A new school. A new bully. That’s what Darrell Mercer faces when he and his mother move from Philadelphia to California. After spending months living in fear, Darrell is faced with a big decision. He can either keep on running from this bully or find some way to fight back.

Henry and the Bully - Nancy Carlson

The lovable Henry is back–and he’s being bullied on the soccer field at school! When no one’s advice seems to help, it’s up to Henry to solve his bully problem for himself. Classroom favorite Nancy Carlson encourages young readers to use creativity and empathy to deal with one of childhood’s toughest challenges.

Educators and program leaders can find these books and more in our anti-bullying category on the First Book Marketplace.

We are in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month 2013 – one of the many year-round events where programs within First Book’s network create learning experiences and lasting memories for the children they serve. One of these programs is CentroNía, a multicultural learning center in Washington, DC.

CentroNía’s librarian Josarie Molina, illustrates how the program recently celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month through photos (courtesy of CentroNía’s DC Bilingual Public Charter School) that show a range of fun activities made available to their students.

Over 40 students along with their teachers and some parents gathered at CentroNía’s auditorium called La Plaza, to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

On Friday, September 27th, La Plaza was decorated with colorful garlands made by 4-year-olds, the music teacher played his guitar and Josarie Molina, CentroNía’s librarian initiated sing-along songs. Everyone sang, “Debajo un boton, ton, tonnn…” (Underneath a Button), a popular song in Latin America.

The art teacher prepared materials and students designed Latin American flags.

There was even a guacamole demonstration. Students got to see step-by-step the process of making a delicious dip with fresh ingredients all mixed in the Mexican traditional mortar and pestle called molcajete.

Books are an essential learning tool for the students at CentroNía. “Children learn to be comfortable navigating two languages and learn about different cultures, helping them become life-long learners, building their self-confidence, and teaching them to be caring and respectful of everyone.” says Josarie Molina.

If CentroNía has inspired your program to participate in Hispanic Heritage Month, then First Book can help you get started with the celebration! Check out First Book’s Stories For All collection under the Hispanic Interest section on the First Book Marketplace.

First Book’s fearless leader, President and CEO Kyle Zimmer spoke on Thursday, October 10th on HuffPostLive alongside other tireless social entrepreneurs that include Hilde Schwab, David Jones and Asher Hasan. The live discussion examined how corporate assets can deliver social impact both nationally and globally.

First Book provides badly-needed books to kids, but it’s up to educators and parents to help their children open up those brand-new books and become readers. Read Aloud 15 MINUTES is one of the many terrific programs that makes this possible.

Read Aloud board member Jennifer Liu Bryan recently explained how our two missions align and why it’s so important to read aloud for 15 minutes a day, especially to kids in under-served communities.

Q: How do Read Aloud and First Book work together?

Read Aloud: First Book’s mission provides the essential raw materials: Books. Books for eager young hands to possess, to cherish – to read. Read Aloud 15 MINUTES’ mission provides the marching orders: Engage. Once those reading materials are in hand, there is no better way to prepare a child for reading and learning than to read aloud to him or her every day, for at least 15 minutes.

Read Aloud 15 MINUTES and First Book’s missions join together like two pieces of the literacy puzzle. Approaching the problem from two different angles, both non-profits share the same goal: To grow literacy, improve education and change lives in this country for the better.

The missions intertwine and intersect wherever there are children who yearn to learn and caregivers who want the best for them. In other words, our missions overlap everywhere.

Q: First Book specifically serves kids in under resourced communities. How is reading aloud to these kids for 15 minutes a day even more important because of that?

Read Aloud: Our message is directed at parents and caregivers everywhere, because it is imperative and applicable to children everywhere. But it is especially critical that our message be heard where the barriers to success are highest, in under-resourced communities.

The disparities are alarming:

By age four, low-income children have heard an average 32 million fewer words than their wealthy peers.

By kindergarten, some low-income children have been read aloud to as few as 25 hours while their middle-income peers have been read aloud to as many as 1,000.

These statistics add up to real life consequences: failure to learn and failure to succeed at school.

Reading Aloud for 15 minutes a day is a small commitment, but for children – particularly in under-resourced communities – it can make a lifetime of difference.

To learn more about why reading aloud will make a difference in your children’s lives, visit our partner Read Aloud 15 MINUTES.

Author, illustrator, and macaroni and cheese aficionado Todd Parr, uses humor and bright illustrations to celebrate the differences that make us all unique. Most of Todd’s books are now available on the First Book Marketplace.

First Book recently interviewed Todd about his inspiration for writing so many books that make a difference in children’s lives.

Todd Parr (Photo Credit: Jeff Fielding)

Todd Parr: Yes, in second grade I was placed in a slow reader class because I could not keep up with the rest of the class. I also couldn’t read in front of the class. It made me feel very different because I was made fun of. This was a big part in my writing It’s Okay To Be Different.

The Family Book was somewhat inspired by losing my mom at a young age and feeling like my family was different.

Q: Have there been any children you’ve met along the way that have inspired you to tackle such issues?

Todd Parr: All the time. I never dreamed these two books would lead my awareness of the need to help kids and families feel good about themselves no matter what they were dealing with.

Q: Why is it important for children to be reading about diversity issues at such a young age?

Todd Parr: Because I believe it is important for kids to see that everyone is different. And that is what makes everyone special and unique.

Q: In your experience, how have children reacted to reading these books? Do they understand the nature of what they are reading?

Todd Parr: Yes, I think it’s my art style that helps with the delivery of the message (kids think they can draw just like me – and they can). Also, humor and unpredictability helps a lot.

Q: What is your goal when writing children’s books that address these topics?

Todd Parr: To present things that may be very complicated to understand in a simple fun way.

Q: What inspired you to become a children’s author?

Todd Parr: It all came about through my art. Megan Tingley (Little, Brown) approached me at the licensing show in NYC and asked if I had ever thought about writing children’s books because I was basically already telling stories through my artwork.

Janet Tashjian is a children’s author, an advocate for reluctant readers and strong supporter of First Book. She collaborates with her son Jake Tashjian, who creates the illustrations for her books. Their most recent joint effort, Einstein The Class Hamster was not only released to retailers, but made available to children and educators in the First Book network on the same day.

First Book recently interviewed Janet about why access to books is so important and what led to the inspiration behind Einstein The Class Hamster.

Q:As an author, what drew you to want to become involved with First Book?

Janet Tashjian: I first heard about First Book from a librarian in Florida who never would’ve been able to stock his school library without First Book. I also donated a lot of books to Bess’s Book Bus and she’d email me pictures of kids on reservations or in the Mississippi Delta holding my books with big smiles. Those photos made me want to back a truck up on the side of the road and just hand out books to kids. She also mentioned First Book, so I called to offer my services. I’m a big, big believer in giving back to the community and as a writer, my community is readers.

Q:Why is it so important for kids in need to have access to books at home and in their classrooms?

Janet Tashjian: Books are one of the best ways to engage a child’s imagination and creativity is one of the most important skills children can develop. So many of today’s activities – television, Facebook, video games – are fun, but don’t actively engage the imagination the way reading does. Kids with limited resources need books as much as anyone else, maybe even more. Books are a gateway to different worlds, to empathy, to understanding; for that reason alone they should be available to all children, not just those with resources.

Q:You are quite the reluctant readers’ advocate. How do you help reluctant readers become interested in reading?

Janet Tashjian: When The Gospel According to Larry came out, teachers and librarians kept telling me how boys who usually weren’t readers loved the book. It made me really think about that population of readers for the first time. Then I noticed that Jake and his friends started having a hard time when chapter books got more difficult. Jake went to a lot of excellent reading tutors; I’m such a pragmatic mom, I told myself if I was spending all that time and effort on helping Jake be a better reader, I would put those tools to use for other kids too.

In the My Life As books, the main character is a visual learner who has a hard time reading so he draws his vocabulary words to learn them. The series has been a big hit with reluctant readers which makes me very happy. And it was the first time Jake and I collaborated which makes that series special too.

Janet Tashjian and son, Jake Tashjian

Q:Einstein, The Class Hamster is based on a comic strip your son, Jake Tashjian, illustrated. What inspired him to first create this?

Janet Tashjian: I home schooled Jake for a few years in middle school. He was always drawing, so one of my assignments was for him to do a daily comic strip. At first, he said, “I can’t be funny every day!” but then he really got into it. The character he created was a hamster, but not a class hamster, and his name was Martin, not Einstein. But the illustrations were so hilarious and the hamster was so droll, I thought it would be fun to do another book together. We tweaked the story and Jake worked very hard on designing all the characters. I think he did a great job.

Q:What books got you hooked as a child that eventually led to you becoming a children’s author?

Janet Tashjian: The books that really got me hooked weren’t children’s books per se but adult books I read in junior high and high school. I devoured Vonnegut, Hesse, and Burgess – couldn’t get enough. They have greatly influenced my work. As a young girl, I was obsessed with Nancy Drew, read every single one. I never thought I’d be writing a series for kids, but now I’m writing two!

Q: What’s one of your favorite nuggets of information?

Janet Tashjian: Kids always ask how to get un-stuck when they’re writing. It may sound simplistic, but I always tell them you write yourself out of writer’s block one sentence at a time. ”Bill didn’t want to go to soccer practice.” ”He didn’t want to see Maria.” ”Why did Maria always make fun of him when he read out loud in class?” Suddenly you go from blocked, to a sentence, to a paragraph. You keep going and you have a page. You keep going some more and you have a chapter. It’s really that simple – one sentence at a time. It’s what Hemingway did; if it worked for him, it can work for you.

Q:What can we expect next from the Tashjian duo?

Janet Tashjian: There are at least two more Einstein’s coming out. And My Life As A Joke comes out in April. We’re doing several more of those too!

We’re huge fans of award-winning actress Julianne Moore at First Book; not only is she supremely talented on stage and screen, she’s also a children’s book author and all -around lovely person.

So we were thrilled that she was able to join us yesterday at Round The Clock Nursery in Harlem to celebrate the first day of school in New York City. Round The Clock Nursery is an amazing early childhood program that serves kids in need and their families 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and one of the many programs that First Book provides with new books and educational materials.

The kids were thrilled to meet Julianne. She read them her new book, ‘My Mom is a Foreigner, But Not to Me’, and gave each of them a signed copy of their own to keep.

Julianne Moore reading her new book with a child at a community center in Harlem to celebrate the start of a new school year.

Kids from Round The Clock Nursery, along with Gail Davis, founder and president (seated at left), Julianne Moore, and Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book.

Each student received a signed copy of Julianne Moore’s new book, ‘My Mom is a Foreigner, But Not to Me.’

The books were provided by Julianne Moore’s publisher, Chronicle Books.

We can all learn something from the selfless acts of children. Check out these five stories of kids helping kids in need get new books.

1. The Best Neighbor Ever.

Crestwood Intermediate School in Mantua, Ohio puts others first. The 3rd-5th graders raised over $1300 through a First Book Virtual Book Drive. They set out to raise this money not for themselves, but for a neighboring school in their community, David Hill Learning Center. Crestwood was determined to make sure that their friends at David Hill would have books to call their own.

2. The 10-Year-Old Entrepreneur.

Malaika became a young social entrepreneur at the ripe age of 10-years-old. She wanted kids less fortunate than her to be able to enjoy books so she raised money through a book and lemonade stand and donated it all to First Book. She provided over 30 books to kids in need.

3. The Coin Collectors

Students at Union Elementary in Farmington, CT turned pockets full of change into a bucket full of change. That bucket ended up providing 160 brand-new books to children affected by Hurricane Sandy.

4. All You Need Is Change.

Speaking of kids making change, third graders at Fisher Elementary in MN, collected loose change for six weeks. They took a walk to the local bank and turned all that change into a donation to First Book.

5. The Birthday Girl

Eight-year-old Siena didn’t want toys or presents for her eighth birthday. Instead, she wanted children in need to get new books. She surpassed her goal and got her birthday wish, placing over 150 brand-new books into the hands of kids in need.

Okay, So Now What?

Join these amazing stories by helping kids in need have a steady stream of books throughout the school year.

When Estrella Elementary opened their doors in 2010, they had barely any books available to students. A Title I school located in an impoverished Los Angeles neighborhood, Estrella can only supply a limited number of books and educational resources to each classroom, and has no books at all to help their students at home.

This lack is not lost on the teachers and staff.

“They need much more than just classroom reading,” said Ana Martinez, a teacher at Estrella Elementary. “Schools and individual classrooms alike need a plethora of books that will spark student’s interest and that will inspire them to learn on their own.”

Thanks to the generosity of the Guru Krupa Foundation, First Book was able to change that.

Before Estrella closed its doors for summer vacation, every student was able to select up to three books to take home as their own, combating the summer slide. The students were overjoyed. Some asked when they had to return the books. The answer is: never. Those books are theirs to keep and read over summer vacation.

“I can’t wait to read these books during the summer,” said Alma, a third-grader. “I always wanted my very own chapter book. I’m going to set a goal to finish all three books over the summer. I want to read to my mom and little brothers so that they can learn English too.”

Estrella Elementary is one of 14 schools that now have brand-new books to put into the hands of their students thanks to the Guru Krupa Foundation. Through a generous grant, the Guru Krupa Foundation has made an immense impact by distributing more than 9,500 books across 14 different schools in Los Angeles.

It was an article in the New York Times that first drew the attention of Mukund Padmanabhan, president of the Guru Krupa Foundation, to First Book.

“The New York Times article made us aware of First Book’s activities, and funding a project with them to put books into the hands of young readers fit right in with our education-related initiatives,” said Mukund Padmanabhan. “We at Guru Krupa Foundation believe that education is a cornerstone for future success in life. Supporting initiatives that bring the benefits of education to underprivileged children can lead to enormous future dividends, not only for the children but to society.”

Guru Krupa Foundation is a New York based private foundation that funds various initiatives related to education, health, and basic sustenance of underprivileged children in India and the United States.